Behind Apple's products is longtime designer Ive

Rachel Metz, Associated Press

Published 11:55 pm, Friday, August 26, 2011

Photo: Susan Ragan, STF

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FILE - In this file photo taken March 19, 1999, Jonathan Ive, left, Apple's vice president of design, and Jon Rubinstein, Apple's senior vice president of engineering, pose behind five iMac personal computers, at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. Apple CEO Steve Jobs may be the company's most recognizable personality, but much of its cachet comes from its clean, friendly-looking designs _ the product of its head designer, Jonathan Ive. (AP Photo/Susan Ragan, File) less

FILE - In this file photo taken March 19, 1999, Jonathan Ive, left, Apple's vice president of design, and Jon Rubinstein, Apple's senior vice president of engineering, pose behind five iMac personal computers, ... more

Photo: Susan Ragan, STF

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FILE - In this Oct. 14, 2008 file photo, Jonathan Ive, Apple senior vice president of Industrial Design, at an Apple meeting in Cupertino, Calif. Apple CEO Steve Jobs may be the company's most recognizable personality, but much of its cachet comes from its clean, friendly-looking designs _ the product of its head designer, Jonathan Ive. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File) less

FILE - In this Oct. 14, 2008 file photo, Jonathan Ive, Apple senior vice president of Industrial Design, at an Apple meeting in Cupertino, Calif. Apple CEO Steve Jobs may be the company's most recognizable ... more

Photo: Paul Sakuma, STF

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FILE - In this Oct. 14, 2008 file photo, Apple CEO Steve Jobs talks about Jonathan Ive, Apple senior vice president of Industrial Design, at a meeting in Cupertino, Calif. Jobs may be the company's most recognizable personality, but much of its cachet comes from its clean, friendly-looking designs _ the product of its head designer, Jonathan Ive. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File) less

FILE - In this Oct. 14, 2008 file photo, Apple CEO Steve Jobs talks about Jonathan Ive, Apple senior vice president of Industrial Design, at a meeting in Cupertino, Calif. Jobs may be the company's most ... more

Photo: Paul Sakuma, STF

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FILE - In this April 3, 2010 file photo, Jonathan Ive, Apple senior vice president of industrial design, smiles as he leaves an Apple store on the first day of Apple iPad sales in San Francisco. Apple CEO Steve Jobs may be the company's most recognizable personality, but much of its cachet comes from its clean, friendly-looking designs _ the product of its head designer, Jonathan Ive. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File) less

FILE - In this April 3, 2010 file photo, Jonathan Ive, Apple senior vice president of industrial design, smiles as he leaves an Apple store on the first day of Apple iPad sales in San Francisco. Apple CEO Steve ... more

Photo: Paul Sakuma, STF

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In this product image provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, samples of wooden step stools with storage are displayed. The stools sold at Target stores from Jan. 2007 through Oct. 2010, can break apart or collapse posing a fall hazard. (AP Photo/U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) less

In this product image provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, samples of wooden step stools with storage are displayed. The stools sold at Target stores from Jan. 2007 through Oct. 2010, can ... more

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FILE - In this file photo taken June 29, 2010, the Apple iPhone 4 is shown at the Apple Store, in New York. Apple CEO Steve Jobs may be the company's most recognizable personality, but much of its cachet comes from its clean, friendly-looking designs _ the product of its head designer, Jonathan Ive. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, file) less

FILE - In this file photo taken June 29, 2010, the Apple iPhone 4 is shown at the Apple Store, in New York. Apple CEO Steve Jobs may be the company's most recognizable personality, but much of its cachet comes ... more

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In this April 3, 2010 photo, shows Jonathan Ive, center, Apple senior vice president of Industrial Design, leaving an Apple store in San Francisco on the first day of Apple iPad sales in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma) less

In this April 3, 2010 photo, shows Jonathan Ive, center, Apple senior vice president of Industrial Design, leaving an Apple store in San Francisco on the first day of Apple iPad sales in San Francisco. (AP ... more

Photo: Paul Sakuma, STF

Behind Apple's products is longtime designer Ive

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SAN FRANCISCO - Steve Jobs has been Apple's most recognizable personality, but much of its cachet comes from its clean, inviting designs. For that, Apple can credit its head designer, Jonathan Ive.

Ive, a self-effacing 44-year-old Brit, helped Jobs bring Apple back from the brink of financial ruin with the whimsical iMac computer, whose original models came in bright colors at a time when bland shades dominated the PC world. He later helped transform Apple into a consumer electronics powerhouse and the envy of Silicon Valley with the iPod, the iPhone and, most recently, the iPad.

In the wake of Jobs' resignation as CEO, Apple must show that it can keep churning out head-turning products even without its charismatic leader. Apple's chief operating officer, Tim Cook, is now CEO, taking on the role of Apple's public face.

But in many ways the real pressure will fall on Ive to make sure Apple continues its string of gadget successes.

Ive, known to his friends as "Jony," has led Apple's design team since the mid-'90s. Working closely with Jobs, Ive has built a strong legacy at Apple, ushering in products that are sleek and stylish, with rounded corners, few buttons, brushed aluminum surfaces and plenty of slick glass.

Apple's pride in this work is evident even in the packaging: Open up any iPhone box, for example, and see Apple proudly proclaim, "Designed by Apple in California."

Six of Ive's works, including the original iPod, are even part of the collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

People who have worked with Ive describe him as humble and sweet, quiet and shy, but also confident, hard-working and brilliant. Paola Antonelli, senior curator of architecture and design for MoMA, said she knows "hardly anybody that is so universally loved and admired" as Ive.

Design, as well as software that makes the gadgets easy to use, is a crucial part of setting Apple products apart from those of its rivals. Apple didn't make the first music player or smartphone, but it blew past rivals by making ones that looked cool and worked well.

Ive started out far from Apple's Cupertino headquarters. He grew up outside London and studied design at Newcastle Polytechnic (now Northumbria University) in Newcastle, England.

After finishing school, he co-founded a London-based design company called Tangerine.

There, he designed a range of products including combs and power tools. It was through Tangerine that he first got to work with Apple.